On our latest From the Cold Corner Podcast, I talk with Vincent Free, chairman of the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA) about how the organization helps bring together suppliers, sub-contractors, builders and more, to move the thermal envelope industry forward through education and networking.

Looking back on what we’ll call 2020 B.C. (Before Coronavirus), the pipeline for cold storage construction was already robust and healthy. According to research by commercial real estate firm CBRE, overall industrial construction—which encompasses cold storage, along with warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, self-storage, office and flex space—was at 298 million square feet (MSF) before COVID-19, bolstered by the ongoing rise of e-commerce. 

After several delays due to COVID-19, John Soules Foods, the City of Valley, and the Chambers County Development Authority (CCDA) announce that construction on the new John Soules Foods facility in Valley, Alabama, has begun.

The new facility will result in up to 225 new, full-time jobs by 2023 in Salina and include automated state-of-the-art pizza-production lines, shipping and receiving docks, and office space. The company already employs 1,125 people at its current 550,000-square-foot production facility and distribution center in Salina. Additional projects are planned for the Salina site over the next several years as Schwan’s plans for continued growth in the company’s pizza business, representing an investment of several hundred million dollars in total.

Interroll has completed construction on its second plant on their campus in Hiram (Atlanta) Georgia. The $11 million investment gives Interroll a substantial increase in capacity for the region.

Ark Foods, the modern-day farming brand known for creating fresh and exciting produce, is expanding its classic line of Veggie Bowls with four new flavors: Buffalo Cauli Mac, General Tso's Cauli, Alfredo Veggie Spaghetti and Sesame Veggie Noodles. This launch will expand its best-selling category and put Ark Foods at the forefront of the plant-based movement, leading the ever-popular trend with better-for-you, heat-and-eat options. To accommodate the brand’s rapid growth, Ark Foods is opening a new 15,000 square foot production facility in New Jersey.